


War Is Not Simply Black and White

by Fiddlerinthewoods



Series: Linktober 2020 [16]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Warriors
Genre: Battle, Battlefield, Blood and Gore, Blood and Injury, Chess, Crack Treated Seriously, Death, Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda), Linktober, SO, War, but it's also a war, listen, really descriptive deaths, there's a lot of death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-16
Updated: 2020-10-16
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:22:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27047914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fiddlerinthewoods/pseuds/Fiddlerinthewoods
Summary: Linktober Day Sixteen: BattlefieldArtemis was the one who started the war.
Series: Linktober 2020 [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1948612
Comments: 3
Kudos: 40





	War Is Not Simply Black and White

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Legend of Zelda or Linked Universe.
> 
> Check tags for TW.
> 
> Enjoy!

Artemis was the one who started the war. Her white armoured warriors symbolised their loyalty to her—the blood of the goddess. Across the battlefield stood her opponent behind his black army. Although the black Leader was admirable, he wouldn’t leave this battlefield victorious.

She had no choice. There were a million moves she could’ve done, but it was best to start the war by allowing her enemy to underestimate her. Of course, her enemy had worked with her so she knew he wouldn’t be fooled.

“Infantry,” she ordered, “to Area Cucco 4!”

A thousand white soldiers marched through the field; their spears held out in front of them as they advanced. In the distance, they would see the right black Calvary moving forward in front of the black stationary Infantry. Reaching the area, they waited for their Leader to make the next decision.

The black Calvary had moved closer. This was the opposite of what she wanted. The Calvary were stronger than the Infantry, being able to move many spots at a rapid pace rather than the slower pace of the Footsoldiers. If he was bringing out his horses, then she would as well.

“Left Calvary to Area Cucco 3!”

Behind the Infantry, four thousand hooves could be heard pounding against the ground as the Calvary made their advance before the small white soldiers. All of the horses were of white coats, some had splatters of colours, but they were white enough for the Leader. Sitting on the horses, their lances ready, the Calvary could see the black horses of the black army.

In the distance, the white Calvary could see the black Infantry move beside the black Calvary.

She needed to stop the advancement of the black Infantry fast. If they got over into her territory then the whole tide of the war could be changed. She was the Leader, no matter what input her General or Scholars gave, it was up to her to make the final decision.

Looking passed the battlefield, she could see the smirking visage of the black Leader. His green tunic had been replaced with black, the only dominant colour in the entire army of darkness was his blue and orange scarf. Once, she had considered him closer than a friend. Then, he turned on her.

A war was not something she wanted to do, but it was something she had to do.

“Infantry to Area Echo 4!”

The Infantry moved passed the Calvary to their left and stopped a single area away from the black Infantry. All it would take would be one order for them to stay at a standstill with the enemy. Their shields were impenetrable by the opposing Infantry’s weapons. No one wanted to lower their shield to attack because they would be struck before they could kill the enemy.

Then, another black Infantry advanced greatly. They stopped diagonally to both white Infantry, a deadly position as the shields didn’t protect from side attacks. The white Infantry could almost see the smirking faces of the black.

This wasn’t good. No matter what move she made, an Infantry would be lost. There was nothing she could do but remember and continue.

The biggest threat was the opposing Calvary. _That_ was what she needed to focus on.

War was not made without sacrifices.

“Infantry to Area Echo 5!”

A feeling of relief flooded the Infantry as they moved away from the threat zone and towards the enemy. Their shields locked with the enemy, but the left black Calvary stood diagonal to them, exposed to their weapons. If they played their cards right, then the black Calvary would be gone.

Startling everyone, the black Infantry to the white’s left ignored their compatriot’s standstill and advanced further towards the white territory.

What is he doing? She furrowed her brow as he left her Infantry alone. There must be a bigger plan in action than what she thought before. It was dangerous to underestimate her enemy.

It didn’t matter. She needed to deal with the left black Calvary.

“Infantry to Area Fairy 6!”

The battle was merciless. Everyone, soldiers and horses, were slaughtered by the white Infantry. None of them tried to run for to die in battle was the biggest achievement in life. They managed to kill a few white soldiers, but not enough to win. As the corpses littered the area, the Infantry stood where they did moments before. The smell of blood was thick.

Across the battlefield, a similar battle took place. The black Infantry attacked the left white Calvary, killing everyone until they stood one area away from the Leader’s left-hand Scholar.

How could she ignore that move?! _Of course,_ he would go for her Calvary as she did his.

Clenching her teeth, she yelled, “Infantry to Area Cucco 3!”

The thousand white soldiers speared the black soldiers through the gaps of the shields. Their bodies fell to the floor, blood seeping through the wounds as they laid there, dying. Mercilessly, the white soldier stomped over their bodies as they filled the spot the black once did.

Across the field, the black armoured General raced with his giant sword. Although he was black armoured, his eyes glowed with a bright white light as godlike power flowed through every slash of his sword at the white Infantry. The lone General stood among the piled corpses of the white Infantry, which blanketed the corpses of his own army underneath a faux white snow.

The General! Of course! They were the strongest person in the entire battlefield, being able to rush across the field as if they were skating on ice. As the Leader, she couldn’t afford the freedom of rushing through enemies.

Just because the black army was trying to intimidate her didn’t mean it worked. She needed to focus on her own army instead of the opposing.

“Infantry to Area Dungeon 4!”

This was a calm move with the Infantry moving one area closer to the enemy. Diagonal to them was their own Infantry, which nodded at them in greeting before turning their attention back to the war. The black Infantry moved forward as well, breezing passed the General and stopping diagonal to the newly moved Infantry. They clutched their shields and spears harder.

It was her turn to intimidate.

“General to Area Echo 2!”

There was no enemy that the General needed to fight as she skated across the battlefield. Her hand was clasped on her giant sword, which was one flick away from cleaving anyone in two. Her orange and red tattoos were the only colour on her body as her hair was as white as her armour.

Across the field, the right black Scholar rushed to move in front of the Leader, who had been briefly exposed. He was shorter than anyone else, almost as short as the Infantry, and wore a blue and white shirt underneath his black armour.

“Infantry to Area Echo 5!”

The white Infantry slaughtered the black Infantry as they moved to be diagonal to the black General. They were so close that they could see his grip tighten on his blue and green sword. Everyone of the white Infantry knew that this was going to be their last move ever, there was no way to win against a General.

The General skated away from them, and the relief in that caused a few of the soldiers in the front to collapse to their knees in relief before rejoining formation. Since he didn’t attack them, the Infantry watched as he stopped where there was no white army waiting. It was a clear shot to the white territory.

Moving the General there was a risky tactic, but she had to acknowledge it anyway. If he tried to reach her territory, her Siege Towers would take the General down.

“Right Calvary to Area Fairy 3!”

The remaining white Calvary moved passed the two stationary Infantry units. They stopped the horses just ahead of one of the Infantry units and diagonal to the white General. She huffed as the horses stomped their hooves against the ground.

The next move of the black army happened within their territory. Looking over at the black right Siege Tower, the Leader nodded at them and they headed towards each other, switching spots so that the Leader was more protected.

Smart.

“General to Area Echo 4!”

The General ran behind the white Infantry, stopping before touching the backline. She gripped her sword, awaiting the Leader’s orders to attack. Seeing this movement of the General, the black General rushed across the battlefield once more, stopping in a direct line to the white General. She growled at him as he smirked at her.

“General to Area Goron 6!”

A large grin broke out on her face as the white General rushed the black General. Their swords clashed in a battle that waged for long. As they fought, he managed to scratch her cheek with his sword as she spun out of the way before bringing her sword down on his open side. She sheathed her sword, stilled covered in his blood, as the two halves of his body realised they weren’t connected anymore. The top slid off. She kicked the lower half onto the ground as she took over his position.

Her victory was short-lived as she was ambushed from behind by the black Infantry. They skewed her through the chest with their spears before trampling her body and advanced further.

NO! This couldn’t be happening!

Tears willed at the corners of Artemis’ eyes as she growled, “Right Calvary to Area Dungeon 4!”

Her Calvary moved towards where her Infantry stood. They stopped beside the white soldiers, forming a small wall of white warriors. On the far end of the battlefield, the black Infantry moved forward one area.

“Infantry to Area Fairy 4!”

More of her Infantry advanced towards the black territory. They stopped one area away from the wall of white warriors, diagonally right to the further ahead Infantry. The left black Calvary moved through the black army to cover up the hole in their defense, securing that the Siege Tower was also backed behind a completely black wall.

“Left Scholar to Area Echo 3!”

The white Scholar, who looked like a younger, female version of the black Leader, rushed through the battlefield to go where she was stationed, which was right in front of the white Leader. She had a crossbow in her hands. The left black Calvary moved further down to the left.

Artemis looked at the Siege Tower to her far left. “Left Siege Tower to switch!”

The white Leader moved down as the Siege Tower moved to stop in the spot beside where she just stood. She had moved towards the gap in the white defense. Diagonally, the left black Scholar moved down the battlefield, stopping besides a white Infantry. He only had a simple soldier’s sword to use; burns littered his body as his long hair danced behind him as he skirted down.

“Left Siege Tower to Area Dungeon 2!”

Soldiers pushed the tall tower up by two areas. The Siege Tower was a slower part of the army, but it was a tank, it could crush anyone it ran into. Seeing the intimidating tower, the black Leader recalled the left Scholar back to where the other Scholar stood. They greeted each other as they formed a line of Scholars.

“Right Scholar to Area Dungeon 3!”

The Scholar moved to be in the centre of a white diamond. She had a spell book clutched in her arms as she stood in the middle. Advancing once more, the left black Calvary crawled closer to white territory.

There was plenty she could do. But she still chose to go with her only silent order. The white Leader moved up by one area, coming closer to the white army. Her rapier hadn’t been unsheathed yet, but her hand rested on its hilt. Seeing the Leader enter the fray, the black Calvary retreated.

“Right Scholar to Area Echo 2!”

The white Scholar retreated to stand beside the white Siege Tower, which was to the Leader’s right. Her blue ponytail bounced as she moved.

Across the battlefield, the left black Siege Tower moved one area closer to the black Leader.

“Right Scholar to Area Fairy 3!”

The same Scholar moved to stand to the other side of the other Scholar, and behind a white Infantry unit. The black Calvary advanced down the battlefield once more.

“Right Scholar to Area Echo 4!”

Since the Leader was using this Scholar, she moved once more. She had a clear shot across the battlefield and could obliterate the black Infantry unit in front of the black left Siege Tower. The right black Scholar moved down the battlefield. His sword with an hourglass was held out in front of him as he stopped in front of the white Infantry.

“Right Siege Tower to Area Echo 1!”

The large Siege Tower moved horizontally before stopping behind the left white Scholar. She glanced behind at them before shooting them a thumbs up and returning to the war. Once more, the black Calvary retreated towards the back army.

Since he was retreating, she did the same. “Right Scholar to Area Dungeon 3!”

The right white Scholar looked at the Leader for a second before following orders. She moved back to the center of the white diamond wall. Across the field, the right black Siege Tower moved one spot left.

“Left Scholar to Area Fairy 2!”

The left Scholar retreated as well, to hide behind one of the white infantry units. Rapidly, the left black Scholar raced across the battlefield. As he passed the other black Scholar, they high-fived before stopping in the line of sight of the Leader.

* * *

“Check,” Warriors said, smirking.

“Not yet,” Artemis said.

* * *

The white Leader moved one area to the left, just out of the path of the left black Scholar. This caused the Scholar to retreat to his previous position.

“Left Scholar to Area Hateno 4!”

Rushing to the far side of the field, the left white Scholar had a clear path to the black territory. If she rushed it, she could make it. The left black Scholar retreated to stand beside the black Leader.

Sighing in relief, the Leader took a breath to calm herself. The white Leader moved back to her previous position hidden behind the white diamond wall. Once again, the left black Scholar put the Leader back in Check.

* * *

“Check once more, Your Highness,” Warriors said.

Artemis nodded her head. “Yes. But you haven’t won yet.”

* * *

“Right Calvary to Area Ballad 3!”

The white Calvary moved in between the white Leader and the left black Scholar, much to the Scholar’s annoyance. Instead of falling for her trap, the left black Calvary moved to stand beside the stationary Infantry. The white Leader moved to stand behind the white Calvary. One of the stationary black Infantry units moved two areas closer to the white territory.

“Infantry to Area Ballad 5!”

The white Infantry slaughtered the black Infantry. Nearly half of the soldiers were killed as they finished the black Infantry warriors. They stood on the blood-stained grass, just in sight of the black Infantry that would attack from diagonally.

They barely had any chance to catch their breath before a different black Infantry unit was on them. The battle was short and messy; with only half of the remaining warriors left, the white Infantry was destroyed.

“Left Scholar to Area Fairy 2!”

Once more, the left white Scholar moved back to where she came from, behind the white Infantry unit. She moved to fix her blonde braids when she arrived. The left black Calvary moved down the battlefield once more.

“Left Scholar to Area Ballad 6!”

A large grin spread on the left white Scholar’s face as she raced towards the Calvary. As she ran, she took aim with her crossbows and begun to pick off the soldiers one-by-one until she arrived across the battlefield. As she arrived, she jumped into the air and begun shooting at them rapidly as she landed behind the soldiers. Then, she used both of her crossbows and melee attacked them. Once everyone laid dead on the area, she shot the Leader a large smile.

Being too preoccupied with the Leader, the Scholar wasn’t able to see the right black Siege Tower creep up behind her. It continued to mow through the area, crushing her under its weight and wheels until she wasn’t anything but broken bones and flattened meat.

Goddessdamnit!

“Right Scholar to Area Echo 4!”

The only remaining white Scholar moved a single area closer to the black territory. She clutched her book closer to her as she warily eyed everyone around her. The right black Scholar moved forward, having a clear path to gain close entry to the white territory.

“Left Siege Tower to Area Dungeon 7!”

Unobstructed by anything, the left white Siege Tower moved straight down the battlefield until it was standing in black territory. It was sandwiched between a black Infantry unit and the right black Scholar. A black Infantry unit moved down.

“Left Siege Tower to Area Cucco 7!”

The white Siege Tower turned to the left and mowed over the thousand soldiers that made up the stationary black Infantry unit. They left no one alive, and even took barely any damage from the Infantry.

In retaliation, the black Infantry unit slaughtered the white Infantry unit that kept them sandwiched between them and the right white Calvary. If they moved one more area down then they would be in white territory.

Artemis clenched her teeth.

The white Leader moved to stop in front of the black Infantry unit. She pulled out her rapier as warning to the trembling Infantry. Across the map, a separate black Infantry unit moved down one area.

“Right Scholar to Area Dungeon 5!”

The right white Scholar advanced one area closer to black territory. She had a clear shot to the other side. Slowly, the left black Siege Tower moved to line themselves with the right white Scholar.

“Right Siege Tower to Area Echo 4!”

The right white Siege Tower moved forwards a considerably less amount than the left white Siege Tower. A white Infantry unit blocked their path, and the Siege Tower wasn’t going to crush their own forces. That would be counterproductive.

Even though the right white Scholar thought she would be crushed by the black Siege Tower, it didn’t move. The left black Scholar moved instead. He moved back one area.

“Right Siege Tower to Area Dungeon 4!”

Moving horizontally, the right white Siege Tower stopped behind the right white Scholar. That gave her relief if she was crushed then the Siege Tower would revenge her. Of course, she didn’t feel relief about death but this was war—casualties were inevitable.

Instead of moving the left black Siege Tower, the black Leader moved one area closer to it.

“Infantry to Area Goron 5!”

The white Infantry attacked the black Infantry and managed to completely decimate them with only taking one casualty. They were in lined with the other white Infantry and the right white Scholar.

A black Siege Tower did move, but it wasn’t the left one—it was the right one, and it moved to the left by one spot, lining themselves up with a stationary white Infantry unit.

The white Leader attacked the black Infantry unit in front of her. She slashed and pierced with her rapier before calling upon a bow of light and shooting down most of the soldiers. This proved why she was the Leader and not just a Scholar, not only was she very skilled in leading but she was nearly unbeatable in combat when she chose to advance. Her white dress got not a single splatter of blood on it as she pierced the heart of the final black Infantry soldier. He fell to the ground as she stood in a perfectly clean circle surrounded by the bodies of those she’d slain.

While she slaughtered the Infantry, the right black Siege Tower rolled over to the stationary white Infantry unit. One of the people pushing the Siege Tower was slayed as they crushed the enemies, but they were successful in the fight. Now the black army had reached white territory.

“Infantry to Area Goron 6!”

The closest white Infantry unit to the black territory moved one more area closer, their shields locking with a black Infantry unit. Diagonal to them was another black Infantry unit, their spears were already pointed at the white enemy.

Instead of attacking, the black Infantry unit moved down one area until it was beside the same white Infantry unit that just moved. They sneered at each other, but were unable to do anything because their shields protected them from attacks from the side.

“Infantry to Area Fairy 6!”

Since the black Infantry unit was too busy with glaring at the white Infantry unit, they didn’t see the other white Infantry unit attack them. The battle wasn’t long or wasn’t short, but the white were victorious as they speared the final black soldier.

The right black Scholar took this opportunity to attack the white Infantry unit. He used his sword and swung at them before changing to a large yellow boomerang which he threw at them. As it flew over the heads of the Infantry, he grabbed his sword and struck them again. The boomerang preformed as a boomerang was supposed to and returned to him, striking the heads of numerous soldiers, knocking them to the ground where they were trampled by their own soldiers as they tried to fight the Scholar. The boomerang flew all throughout the battle, always returning to the Scholar, who would kill the fallen soldiers until none of them remained. Once he finished, he put his boomerang away.

“Left Siege Tower to Area Fairy 7!”

The left white Siege Tower moved through the black territory, stopping just in front of the black Leader. He grabbed his sword and stared it down, his scarf flapping in the light wind. Instead of attacking, he moved one area to the left, just out of the range of the Siege Tower. With a smirk at the white Leader, he sheathed his sword.

“Left Siege Tower to Area Fairy 6!”

Since the left white Siege Tower wasn’t able to attack the black Leader, they moved down one area and forced the Leader to watch as they crushed the right black Scholar. The young Scholar screamed out as the wheels crushed his body and the black Leader gritted his teeth in anger.

He ordered his Infantry to tear the white Siege Tower to shreds and they did. They sieged the Siege Tower, tore it to pieces, and brought the tallest white building crashing to the ground. Once the last operator fell, the Infantry stood on the remains of the tower.

“Right Scholar to Area Fairy 7!”

The right white Scholar knew that she wouldn’t be killed in this round because then the Infantry unit diagonal to her would kill the black Leader. So, she skated towards the black Leader, a sad smile on her face for they once worked together to save the world. He didn’t even look at her.

He, the black Leader, moved one area down, just out of her reach of magic. He faced straight-on and ignored her.

“Left Siege Tower to Area Dungeon 8!”

The left white Siege Tower moved on its unstoppable path as it crashed into the left black Siege Tower. They begun to attack by ramming into each other and slowly the black Siege Tower begun to topple. As it topple, the white Siege Tower crushed the operators until it pushed the base of the black tower out of the area.

Smirking, the black Leader attacked the white Siege Tower. He was ruthless in his attacks, performing spin attacks that killed many of the operators at the same time. Then, he grabbed a Fire Rod and lit the Siege Tower before tearing into it with his sword. All of this happened within the span of a few seconds. The black Leader destroyed the white Siege Tower, even posing as it topple behind him in a cloud of smoke. Much like the white Leader, not a spot of blood landed on him as his scarf lightly danced in the wind. He brushed a hand through his hair as he stood on a clean circle of grass surrounded by the corpses.

“Infantry to Area Goron 7!”

The white Infantry unit moved one area closer to the edge of the black territory where the Great Fairy would grant the white Leader’s wish. There was no black army anywhere around them to stop them.

Because they couldn’t destroy that pawn, the right black Siege Tower moved across the battlefield before it crushed a stationary white Infantry unit. There was barely a fight as the soldiers got crushed to death.

“Infantry to Area Goron 8!”

As the white Infantry unit crossed the path, the white Leader made a decision. She wished to the Great Fairy that the Infantry unit would gain the weapons of a Siege Tower. Her wish was granted as knowledge of how to operate a Siege Tower was imprinted into the minds of the soldiers, and a Siege Tower was created out of air.

The black Leader eyed the white Siege Tower before ordering the right black Siege Tower moved towards the new white Siege Tower and crushed it to pieces. The Infantry-turned-operators weren’t ready to face another Siege Tower in battle and perished instead.

“Right Scholar to Area Goron 8!”

The right white Scholar smiled as she advanced onto the previously victorious right black Siege Tower. She used her book of sorcery to create slices of pink magic to kill the opposing black army. A lightning strike that she called down killed a lot of the operators. In order to destroy the Siege Tower, she called upon three blocks of white magic that topple the Siege Tower over onto the ground, crushing some of the remaining operators. She used her pink magic to destroy the rest of them.

Moving forward, the black Leader headed down the battlefield. The white Leader mimicked the same movement, advancing up the field. Then, he moved back towards the edge of his territory, right beside the right white Scholar, whom he still didn’t face.

“Right Scholar to Area Cucco 4!”

The right white Scholar ran away from the black Leader before he could attack her, and towards the safety besides the white Leader. She had a clearing to attack the left black Scholar, but he had the same opportunity as her.

Instead, the left black Scholar moved back towards the black Leader.

The white Leader moved one area away from the right white Scholar, and one area closer to the black Leader. He responded by moving down one area.

“Right Calvary to Area Dungeon 4!”

The horse-bound soldiers ran over to where the white Leader and the right white Scholar were. They stationed themselves between the two women. The left black Scholar moved back to the edge of black territory.

“Right Calvary to Area Fairy 5!”

The white Calvary moved to position themselves in front of the last black Infantry unit. The black Leader was in their path.

* * *

“Check.” Artemis studied Warriors’ face as he stared at the chessboard.

He didn’t say anything.

* * *

The black Leader backed himself up in the far-right corner. It was just out of the range of the white Calvary. Moving herself back, the white Leader allowed herself time to think. The black Leader moved himself forward as to keep himself from being trapped.

Furrowing her brow, the White Leader moved to wait behind the right white Calvary. Many of the horseback soldiers saluted at her when she arrived.

Instead of moving himself, the left black Scholar moved down one area. He pointed his sword at the white Calvary in warning.

“Right Calvary to Area Dungeon 4!”

The white Calvary moved themselves to stand beside the right white Scholar. She waved at them when they arrived.

Once more, the black Leader moved. He moved away from the side of the field, an area not to far from being behind the black Infantry unit.

“Right Scholar to Area Ballad 5!”

The right white Scholar moved away from the battle, to where she was in line with the left black Scholar. She tightened her grip on her book and he swung his sword around. Instead of attacking though, the left black Scholar moved across the battlefield until he was in front of the stationary white Infantry.

“Right Scholar to Area Cucco 6!”

The right white Scholar moved up one area.

Again, the black Leader moved down one area, stepping on the outside edges of the battlefield.

“Right Scholar to Area Dungeon 5!”

Without even a chance to catch her breath, the right white Scholar had to move again. She was in a position that if the black Leader was in any spots she could reach, he would be killed. In response, the left black Scholar moved across the battlefield again, crossing in front of the right white Scholar. If his sword was longer, it would’ve cut her in half.

“Right Scholar to Area Echo 4!”

The right white Scholar moved to stand between the right white Calvary and the white Leader. The left black Scholar moved back to where he stood before, undoing the move he just did.

“Right Scholar to Area Cucco 6!”

Like the left black Scholar, the right white Scholar moved back to where she was just. Those moves gave the black Leader enough time to think of his next move. He moved himself to the left by one area.

“Right Scholar to Area Ballad 5!”

The right white Scholar retreated by one area. Away from the battle, the black Leader retreated by one area as well.

“Right Scholar to Area Dungeon 3!”

Retreating once more, the right white Scholar hid behind the white Calvary. The black Leader moved back against the edge of the battlefield, just skimming over the right white Scholar’s battle path.

“Right Scholar to Area Cucco 4!”

The Scholar moved back up one area. The black Leader moved to the left by one.

“Right Scholar to Area Echo 6!”

Actually moving more than one spot, the right white Scholar moved up to stand beside the last black Infantry, where the black Leader stood on the other side.

The left black Scholar moved to the bottom of the white territory.

“Right Calvary to Area Fairy 5!”

Quickly, the white Calvary moved to position themselves between the white Leader and the black Infantry. The left black Scholar moved to line himself up with the white Calvary.

“Right Calvary to Area Dungeon 6!”

Horse hooves could be heard as they moved away from the line of sight of the black Scholar. He grumbled under his breath at the motion. The black Leader moved back up once more.

“Right Scholar to Fairy 5!”

She moved down to put herself in the line of attack of the black Scholar, right in front of the white Leader. The black Scholar moved back down to where he was before, at the bottom of the field.

“Infantry to Area Hateno 4!”

For the first time the entire war, the white Infantry moved up by two areas. The black Scholar moved up by one, waiting.

“Right Scholar to Area Echo 4!”

Moving to face the black Scholar, but unable to attack, the white Scholar waited. The black Scholar moved back down but to the left.

“Right Calvary to Area Fairy 5!”

The white horses moved to put themselves between the black Infantry and the white Leader. The black Leader moved back into the right corner.

“Right Calvary to Area Dungeon 4!”

Retreating, the right white Calvary moved away from the fight, shielding the right white Scholar from no enemies. The left black Scholar rushed across the battlefield, stopping the advancement of the white Infantry unit.

In order to stop the black Infantry, the white Leader moved one area up. The black Leader moved to stand to the side of the black Infantry in the case that if she does defeat them, then he’ll be able to defeat her and win.

“Right Scholar to Area Dungeon 5!”

Instead attacking directly, the right white Scholar lined herself up from the distance so that if the black Leader moved into her sight, she could attack before he would see her. In response, the left black Scholar moved to stand between the black Infantry and the black Leader, hidden so that the white Scholar wasn’t able to see him.

The white Leader moved into the path of the white Scholar, standing to the left side of the black Infantry unit, who readied themselves for a fight. Quickly, since they weren’t blocked, the black Infantry moved down one area, getting closer to the white’s Great Fairy.

The white Leader moved to line herself beside the black Leader. A single area stood between the two Leaders as they aimed their weapons at each other. For the first time this battle, the white Leader was able to see the black Leader closely. He looked exactly like how she remembered he did.

* * *

“Ready to give up, Link?”

“Never, Your Highness.”

* * *

The black Infantry unit moved down one more area.

“Right Calvary to Area Echo 6!”

The black Leader looked as the right white Calvary reared up behind the white Leader, putting him in Check. He dashed away from them, moving to the right of the left black Scholar instead. He sheathed his sword.

“Right Calvary to Area Fairy 4!”

The thousand-armed riders advanced on the final black Infantry unit. They used their warhorses to crush the enemy, and used their lances to pierce and kill the soldiers. Some of the white got slayed, but they were victorious in the end.

Looking at his only remaining member of his army, the black Leader wished the left black Scholar good luck. The Scholar moved down one area, moving closer to the white Calvary, and out of the Calvary’s path.

The white Leader moved down one area, standing an area away from the black Leader.

* * *

“Surrender is not shameful,” Artemis said. “Give up and your last piece will live.”

Warriors thought for a moment, resting his elbows on his knees and staring deeply. “You underestimate me.”

* * *

The left black Scholar moved down once more, putting him in the path of the white Scholar. It was a risky move, but a very calculated one as well.

“Right Scholar to Area Fairy 7!”

The calculated move payed off as the right white Scholar rushed away from him, stopping above the white Leader.

The black Leader moved up a single area before the white Leader moved down to get closer to the black Leader while staying out of the path of the black Scholar. Smirking, the black Leader moved to stand beside the white Scholar. She would be unable to attack him, and the white Leader could do nothing without getting attack by the black Scholar.

“Right Scholar to Area Goron 6!”

The white Scholar moved to put herself between the black Leader and the white Leader. She held her book out in front of her for the attack the would surely come from the black Scholar. Instead, the left black Scholar moved away from the battle, all across the battlefield once more.

“Infantry to Area Hateno 5!”

The white soldiers moved to stand beside their Leader. In response, the black Leader backed away.

“Right Scholar to Area Fairy 5!”

Skating across the ground, the Scholar came to stand on the white Leader’s left side. The black Scholar raced across the battlefield, stopping in the right corner in the white’s territory.

“Infantry to Area Hateno 6!”

The Infantry moved ahead of their white Leader, who stood still in the field littered with corpses. The black Leader moved to the right by one area. In response, the white Leader moved ahead of the white Scholar. Once more, the black Leader backed himself into the corner.

“Right Calvary to Area Goron 6!”

Marching across the field, the Calvary to station themselves between the Infantry and the white Leader. The black Leader moved away from Check, heading to the left.

“Right Calvary to Area Echo 5!”

The Calvary moved back to where they came from. The black Scholar moved to stand beside the white Calvary.

“Right Scholar to Area Echo 6!”

Moving ahead by one area, the white right Scholar lined herself up with the black Scholar.

He took the bait and attacked the Scholar. She used her pink magic to deal attacks to him, but he managed to conjure up large blue bombs which he threw at her. They exploded, and she called down lightning to attack him. Snapping his fingers, he did the same to her. Their lightning struck at the same time, but he managed to keep standing. Moving towards her, he slammed his sword through her chest. She dropped the book of magic onto the ground as blood splattered from her mouth. He moved his sword from her chest and wiped away the blood before kicking her to the ground.

Heaving heavy breaths, he wasn’t prepared for the white Leader attacking him directly. They fenced, him with his soldier’s sword and her with her rapier, before she jumped over him and shot him with her bow of light. He dodged the arrow and tried to throw a bomb at her, but wasn’t able to because it was reloading. The white Leader took this opportunity to pierce his heart with a precise blow. He gasped, his sword falling to the ground. As she removed her rapier, he collapsed to his knees and landed beside the body of the white Scholar.

The black Leader, the last black piece on the board, moved down one more area.

* * *

“Just surrender, Link!” Artemis said. “I’ve already won.”

“Not yet, you haven’t!” he growled.

She sighed, “Right Calvary to Area Fairy 7!”

* * *

The horse riders moved to one area away from the black Leader. He moved down by one area, keeping out of the reach of the white army.

As the white Leader moved up one area, the black Leader moved down.

”Infantry to Area Hateno 7!”

Finally entering the black territory, the army of the white moved up by one area. The black Leader moved away from the army.

“Infantry to Area Hateno 8!”

As soon as the white Infantry stepped towards the Great Fairy, the white Leader’s wish got granted. The Infantry left the battlefield as the corpse of the General reformed herself and stood up where the Infantry once was. She wiped blood off her lips and gripped her large sword in her hand. The white General was back in the war.

The black Leader moved one area forward.

“General to Area Ballad 2!”

The General smiled wide as she rushed across the battlefield once more. She stopped two areas away from the black Leader, who sighed. He moved one area away from her.

“General to Area Cucco 3!”

The General moved up by one area, getting closer to the black Leader. Muttering under his breath, the black Leader moved one area away from her.

The white Leader moved to align herself up with the black Leader, but she wasn’t close enough to attack. Grabbing her rapier, she pointed it at him in warning.

Again, the black Leader moved to the left by one area.

“Calvary to Area Echo 5!”

The Calvary moved to stand in front of the black Leader. He moved to the side of the Calvary.

“General to Area Cucco 4!”

As the General moved, she put the black Leader into Check. He grew frantic, he wasn’t winning his war. In a last-ditch effort, he moved up by one area.

“General to Area Cucco 6.”

The General pulled out her sword as she moved up.

The black Leader pulled out his own sword and frantically looked around. If he killed the General, the Calvary would kill him; if he killed the Calvary, the white Leader would kill him; he wasn’t close enough to kill the white Leader; and he couldn’t move anywhere without being in the path of the General, the Calvary, and the white Leader.

He did the only thing he could do.

The black Leader dropped his sword.

* * *

“Checkmate, Link,” Artemis said. “Looks like I win!”

Warriors stared dumbfounded at the chess board. He didn’t say a thing.

Time clapped him on the shoulder as Impa hid a smile. “Well, seems like the Chess King has been dethroned by the Chess Queen.”

Wind and Wild groaned in the background. “Well,” Wind sighed, “I guess we owe Lana and Linkle some rupees.”

A small smile grew on Warriors’ face. “Oh, I knew I wasn’t winning,” he said. “I may be good at leading a unit, but Zelda has to lead the entire kingdom.”

“You flatter me,” Artemis said. “We both made a lot of risky moves.”

“They payed off for you, though,” Warriors pointed out. “Well, that was fun. Anyone else wanna try?”

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed!
> 
> Fun fact! This is an actual chess match; I didn’t just bluff it. I got the computer to play against itself on the hardest level, and this was the result.
> 
> Infantry are Pawns, Calvary are Knights, Siege Towers are Rooks, Scholars are Bishops, the General is the Queen, and the Leader is the King.
> 
> White pieces: right white Scholar: Lana, left white Scholar: Linkle, white General: Impa, white Leader: Artemis.
> 
> Black pieces: right black Scholar: Wind, left black Scholar: Wild, black General: Time (but Fierce Deity), black Leader: Warriors.


End file.
